What cultural etiquette should I know for Marrakech?

The left hand rule will save you more embarrassment in Marrakech than anything else you read. Moroccans consider the left hand unclean. Never use it to eat, pass money across a counter in the souks near Jemaa el-Fnaa, or greet anyone. Right hand to your chest with a slight bow works across the Medina. The verbal greeting is 'as-salamu alaykum' (peace be upon you). You'll hear it dozens of times a day, and answering 'wa alaykum as-salam' gets a noticeably warmer reception than 'bonjour', even though most Marrakchis speak French. Mind you, French is still fine as a fallback. The bigger social test comes with Moroccan mint tea. If a shopkeeper in the Rahba Kedima spice market pours you a glass from a tall brass teapot, the sweet smell of fresh nana mint rising in the steam, take at least a sip. Refuse tea in Morocco and you've turned down a handshake.

Non-Muslims cannot enter working mosques anywhere in Morocco. That includes the Koutoubia Mosque, its 77-metre minaret visible from Jemaa el-Fnaa and most rooftop restaurants. The sole exception in the entire country is the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, 240 km north, which runs guided tours. Dress matters near religious sites and throughout the Medina's residential derbs. Knees and shoulders covered is the baseline, the same standard as at Bahia Palace. Lightweight linen handles the 30-degree heat better than synthetic fabric. Women might carry a light scarf for entering zaouias like the one near Mouassine Fountain, though it's not required on the street. During Ramadan, no eating, drinking, or smoking in public between the dawn and sunset calls to prayer. Most tourist restaurants in Gueliz still serve lunch behind closed doors, but in the Medina you'll find far fewer options until the iftar cannon fires at sunset.

Vendors in the souks expect you to haggle, and not doing it is the odd behavior. A reasonable opening offer sits around 40-50% of the first asking price, and you'll likely settle near 60-70%. One rule matters above all in a souk like the one stretching north of Jemaa el-Fnaa. Once you agree on a price, you buy. Walk away after shaking on a number, and the shopkeeper will remember your face. Photography in Marrakech follows similar consent rules. Street performers on Jemaa el-Fnaa, the henna women, the snake charmers, the Gnaoua musicians near the north edge, all expect 10-20 MAD if you point a camera at them. That's fair. Point a camera at a Moroccan woman without asking, and you'll hear about it. For tipping, leave 10-15 MAD on a 100 MAD restaurant bill. Hammam attendants at Hammam Dar el-Bacha expect 20-30 MAD. Riad housekeeping staff appreciate 50-100 MAD at checkout for a multi-night stay.

Public displays of affection beyond a handshake draw stares in Marrakech, even between married couples. This goes double in the Medina. Alcohol in Marrakech exists but lives in a parallel world. Licensed bars and hotel restaurants in the Ville Nouvelle district of Gueliz serve beer and wine openly. A Flag Speciale beer runs about 30-40 MAD. But carry a bottle through the Medina or drink on a riad rooftop visible to neighbors, and you've made a social misstep. Shoes come off at the door of any Moroccan home or riad you're invited into. You'll see a pile of babouches, the pointed leather slippers sold everywhere in the souks, at the entrance. Follow the pile.